R'lyeh Raising Questions

It's safe to say that R'lyeh Rising (and its giant Cthulhu figure) is a very hot item right now. Hot anticipation. Hot debate. Hot questions. Let's see if we can address as many aspects of this unprecedented expansion as possible.

Photos of the giant Cthulhu plastic sample.

FAQ

Q: Can I get extra copies of my limited quantity R'lyeh Rising pledge at the same cost as my original pledge ($220 to $245)?

A: No. The limited quantity pledges are, well, limited in quantity. Backers with those pledges can only get 1 copy of the pledge at that cost and with that delivery time. They can, however, get extra copies of the unlimited $250 R'lyeh Rising pledge, which will be delivered later.

Q: Can I get only an Unspeakable pledge ($100) now, and then during the Pledge Manager upgrade it to a R'lyeh Rising ($250) pledge?

A: Yes, you can.

Q: Can I make just a $1 pledge now?

A: You can make a $1 pledge now, and when the Geekfunder Pledge Manager goes live after the campaign has ended you can add more funds to get a full pledge, either Unspeakable ($100) or R'lyeh Rising ($250).

Q: Why were there different prices for the initial limited quantity R'lyeh Rising pledges?

A: The production process for the giant Cthulhu is quite different from our normal figures. It uses a rotating mold that deteriorates much faster. This means the mold needs to basically be redone after every hundred or so figures are produced. To account for that, we slightly raised the price of extra batches of the giant Cthulhu. We honestly didn't expect such a massive interest in the piece, though. So with the unlimited pledge we were able to stabilize the cost since economy of scale really starts to kick in when we have thousands of orders, offsetting the extra mold costs.

Q: If you can produce only a couple hundred giant Cthulhu a month, how long will it take you to deliver to all backers with the unlimited R'lyeh Rising ($250) pledge?

A: The slower production time we originally expected was based on a production method geared toward meeting a very limited demand. The overwhelming interest for the giant Cthulhu will allow us to change the production process, creating multiple simultaneous molds in order to achieve a much greater output, and deliver to all backers not much later (and possibly even earlier) than the delivery estimates.

Q: I'm not interested in the giant Cthulhu figure, but would like to play the R'lyeh Rising episode, can I get those components without the figure?

A: The R'lyeh Rising episode is based on the premise of being played on the giant Cthulhu figure. That said, we are discussing with the designers to see whether it would be possible to create an alternate version substituting the Cthulhu figure for some kind of board, and offer that as an Optional Buy to those interested. Not making any promises, but we'll keep you updated.

GAMEPLAY

In R'lyeh Rising, the ritual has already been completed. Cthulhu’s appearance is imminent. The world as we know it is doomed.

However, we’ve got one last chance! Investigators travel to the realms of R'lyeh itself in an attempt to destroy Cthulhu in transit between the two worlds!

In this final episode, the action takes place on Cthulhu as the board itself. with figures moving freely upon the terrain with the aid of a movement ruler. Investigators must defeat Cthulhu one stage at a time, like a regular Elder One fight - except they may only attack one area of the Elder One at a time.

R'lyeh Rising comes with its own Mythos deck featuring additional Monster summoning and unspeakable events generated by Cthulhu’s presence. You must stop Cthulhu before he enters our world!

Components:

Cthulhu figure

Custom Madness tokens

Movement ruler

Elder One, Monsters, and Episode cards

Mythos deck

Rules insert

SHIPPING ESTIMATES

As we already have an idea of the size (50x50x55cm) and weight (6kg) of the R'lyeh Rising box, we were able to collect some rough shipping estimates. Keep in mind that these are just estimates, and they are ONLY for the R'lyeh Rising box, not for the full pledge including the Death May Die core box and Stretch Goals.

Please note that shipping costs to the USA are considerably cheaper than other locations because for USA shipping the courier services only take weight into consideration, while for other destinations the courier services consider box dimensions as a factor. While the giant Cthulhu is lighter than you would expect, it's still pretty darned big.

Comments

+1 for board version!
Please create an alternate version substituting the Cthulhu figure for some kind of board.
The figure is to big to transport it to freinds or to store it in my gameroom without taking the risk to transform this thing to a dustcollector......
Thank You

It's a pretty cool idea but I can't afford to shell out for that, let alone have any idea where I'd store it. Awesome sculpt, interesting concept, but I'd prefer a cardboard option as well. Maybe like how Kenner used to do the cardboard AT-AT and Jawa Sandcrawler in the classic Star Wars period.

Superbacker

@Mickael: Call me cynical, but at this point I don't think they care. They would of told us way before now If they had any intention of releasing a cardboard version for us normal people that aren't made of money to buy.

Superbacker

Superbacker

Would also like to see a gameboard. Maybe include a giant Cthluhu cardboard statue/standup (that can be taken apart) to evoke some of the same effect? That statue is just too big. Would like to see an option for a normal sized version of it.

Superbacker

Superbacker

+1 for the addon game board. Please don't leave us Base box owners high and dry (or maybe that's a good thing considering its Cthulhu we are talking about)

That statue is ridiculous considering you only have 1 scenario to play on it, more power to you if you think its worth $150USD+ shipping, but I have nowhere to put the thing and even less inclination to paint it (I already have a massive backlog of figures to paint).

Superbacker

THAT part was in recognition of how long those that back the R'lyeh Rising expansion might have to wait to get it. My point was, that if it isn't shipped in a second wave, it is a crime to make those backers wait two years from now to be able to even play the core game. I didn't see any mention in this update that there would be a second wave of shipping depsite the additional shipping costs for JUST the expansion. Hoping I am wrong.

As to Kickstarter and late fulfillment, that's a whole 'nother rage. ;)

Superbacker

While I will agree that this massive statue is impressively cool I just can't see anyway that it is worth the money. I live in the US so I don't have to concern myself with the shipping cost (I have no doubt that the base game is going to cost me more in shipping) and even then I can't see it. At least CMON made the decision easy by pricing me out of consideration.

I just really hope that all of those backers that went all in and have to pay all of that shipping are actually happy with the game. And I am hoping that at least those paying out all of this cash get their core game at the same time as the rest of us and the Big Boy is sent in a second wave. It would be callous and unfeeling to make them also wait for the core game until their Cruel Box o' Cthulhu shows up two years from now (CMON games are notoriously late). A curse worthy of big old Tentacle Face himself.

Superbacker

Your shipping is ridiculous. I live in Taiwan and when I bought 6kg stuff from Taobao they only charged me no more than $15 to ship from China. Now you estimate the shipping to be $140 and then you forbid Taobao legal sellers ( your retailer) to ship to TAIWAN. Good job Cmon, good job.

Superbacker

A: You can make a $1 pledge now, and when the Geekfunder Pledge Manager goes live after the campaign has ended you can add more funds to get a full pledge, either Unspeakable ($100) or R'lyeh Rising ($250)."

The only option I saw as to make a pledge without a reward.... so I did that but I can still change it at the end to get the bigger $250 game correct? I just don't have the cash at the moment but within the next few weeks I should be able to lock it into the pledge manager.

what a joke for some country the shipping is more expensive than the expansion itself. My entire Cthulhu Wars pledge was much much bigger than this expension about (30 kg) and something like 15 huges boxes of expensions which means more bigger than your expansion and they proposed a cheaper shipping.

Seriously, just looking at the picture with the investigators and cultists on the "board" makes it pretty clear there is no game board. Its just a molded base that you are supposed to measure certain areas to define as the "active" zone. easily achieved with tiles to designate the giant monster layout.

And I agree with the Bulls**t "gosh, we had no idea gamers liked Cthulhu so much and would want this " crap statement. They knew exactly what they were doing from the start, and already had a good idea they would settle at a final 250USD mark.

@cmon
Q: I'm not interested in the giant Cthulhu figure, but would like to play the R'lyeh Rising episode, can I get those components without the figure?
A: The R'lyeh Rising episode is based on the premise of being played on the giant Cthulhu figure. That said, we are discussing with the designers to see whether it would be possible to create an alternate version substituting the Cthulhu figure for some kind of board, and offer that as an Optional Buy to those interested. Not making any promises, but we'll keep you updated.

well, well, well... if only there was a way to have an inexpensive image to use for that purpose and be able to play this expansion... Damn, cardboard? Foldable cardboard? Foldable cardboard like the old style dungeon master screen? 3d puzzle? I can sell you some ideas if you want, can even prepare a prototype if you need :p But obviously it won't cost all the money of this model... But hey you are doing this for the player to enjoy in full the game :p

Superbacker

Why not have an option to ship to a USA intermediate address and let non-USA backers arrange for the final leg on their own? Then it's entirely within their control how much more they do or do not pay. :-)

Also, casually looking at the state by state listings, why in the Northeast-Mid Atlantic is just about every state $15 and CT is $19? All those regional shipments north (or south) likely pass through CT. CT gets screwed again bc it sucks, lol xD

Ouch, that is a steep price for us EU citizens but what the heck, I need that Cthulhu and it´s a well known fact that the toys of men are more expensive than the toys of boys,
Looking forward to painting this monstrosity :-)

Superbacker

Microeconomics teaches that average total cost per unit follows an inverted parabola, where it becomes cheaper per unit up to a point, and then the costs swing back upwards. As new equipment is secured to produce more, the parabola starts over, so you wind up with a set of parabolas following a parabolic arc. Economies of scale only applies up to a point, and then it becomes more expensive to manufacture more units.

You've done it! You've secured my pledge with this update. Thank you for the state specific shipping estimates! You've gone above and beyond my expectation with the whole update! I am excited to be a backer, and located in a nearby state! >.<

The "unassembled" idea sounds like a QA nightmare for CMoN. The pieces will probably be at risk of warping after they are removed from the molds. It may be that the only reliable way to test whether they fit together well is to actually assemble them.

Superbacker

Ouch... wonder why BC has it so much worse than other Canadian provinces; doesn't really concern me since I'm a Quebec frog anyways, but I find it weird anyways that they'll have to pay almost 30 USD more than me for shipping.

Will ordering R’lyeh Rising delay the shipment of all waves of a backer’s KS to 04/2020, or will you be shipping RR as its own wave independent or the core box and other add-ons/stretch goals? As it stands, it looks like order RR will delay fulfillment of the entire KS, which is not an appealing prospect.

Yikes! Well, being a Canadian we're in the same boat as Europe. So, for just the R'lyeh expansion, I'm looking at an extra $150 for the base figure/expansion + $52 shipping = $202 USD = around $270 CDN. Um....I'm really, really, REALLY going to have to think about this. I could have stomached the extra cost with all-in-shipping, but holy mackerel. Not sure I want to spend almost $300 on a statue.
+1 for a game board for the final encounter please! I think I'll end up using my Ancient One figure from Shadows of Brimstone which will still be pretty epic. :)

Superbacker

"Q: I'm not interested in the giant Cthulhu figure, but would like to play the R'lyeh Rising episode, can I get those components without the figure?" A solution to this is huge, bigger than that awesome but totally pointless bigature